Tatum Ross Hjelseth
born Saturday, September 29, 2018
5:14 am
baby you were born on a beautiful, sunny fall day.
the day is so etched into my mind. vivid, and yet a blur at the same time.
the morning i felt like i was hit with a ton of bricks as you quickly made your arrival.
- - - - - - - - -
prior to writing down our birth story, i read back through tanner's birth story just to be brought back to that day. it has me feeling a little lost as i sit to write tatum's. birth with tanner was so sooo similar to birth with harper. (her birth story isn't documented here being that she was born prior to this blog). but after my first two, i figured that's how birth is for me. long and steady.
and that's what my expectations were leading up to the day of tatum's birth.
- - - - - - - - -
but it was everything but that.
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
my due date was october 4th. my midwife susan was going to be out of town come the 5th. so we were so praying and hoping that baby would make his way before then. she had been there for both our other babies, and i couldn't imagine if she wasn't there to help me through with this one too.
- - - - - - - - -
i had been having a TON of really uncomfortable braxton hicks contractions for a handful of weeks prior. more uncomfortable than i had experienced with my previous pregnancies. these ones were stronger, where at times i had to stop in my steps until one passed. they were also much lower. i always typically felt them in my lower back, like menstrual cramps. but this time they also had worked their way down low, and in front. about a week prior, the uncomfortableness of contractions had picked up. at times being 15 minutes apart for a couple hours, then eventually letting up.
- - - - - - - - -
SATURDAY (22nd)
i lost my mucus plug that evening. and it sent me into nerves of feeling like this could be happening any time (i hadn't experienced this prior to labor with my others). i was nervous to go to bed that night. i always feel that the nights are so telling of where we are headed. but i slept all through the night, not being woken by contractions.
SUNDAY + MONDAY (23rd + 24th)
both evenings i lost a little more of my mucus plug after having lots and lots of contractions throughout the afternoon and evening.
finally decided it was time to have our bags packed!
WEDNESDAY (25th)
i had a chiropractor appointment that morning.
i noticed my contractions really picking up that afternoon to being more frequent, and about every 15 minutes. this went on for a handful of hours, but didn't stick and eventually slowed down come evening. i very much think this could have been due to my appointment that morning.
in pregnancy with tanner i had gone to the chiropractor for an adjustment and then the next day he was born. so here i was a little on my toes this day!
i was also having to make my way to the bathroom more frequently. which was another sign for me that we were getting close to meeting our baby. this was typical for me prior to labor beginning. but whether that meant one day or a handful of days. who knew.
THURSDAY (26th)
i had an appointment with my midwife, susan, that morning and i was so anxious and ready for it! especially after all the increased contractions i had been having the day before. we were planning for her to check me, and i couldn't wait to see what progress (cross my fingers) my body had made during these last weeks of all these contractions!
every one of those contractions had been doing so much work! and i was thankful for it, knowing they were getting us ready and prepping for the day labor really began. in pregnancies prior, my body hadn't made much progress until true labor actually began. making my labors quite long (28 & 22 hours).
i was dilated to a 3-4, my cervix was really thinned and soft, and she could even feel baby's head!
my body had made so much progress. so much so that susan was careful not to disrupt things too much as it was likely if she did, labor could be initiated that very day. which i didn't want to happen. i even asked her if there was anything i could do to stop labor from happening for a few more days. what 39+ week pregnant mama says that?! (we were hoping for my mom to get here first, and i was planning to have her get on a flight and come up the next day).
based on all this progress, susan didn't think i would even make it to my due date of the 4th. which was such a relief! to me it meant that this would happen before susan left town (on the 5th) and she would be here for this baby. we scheduled my next appointment for monday, october 1st. if i was still pregnant then, she would strip my membranes to get things going and help ensure baby would get here before she left.
seems silly now, but that afternoon i was feeling stressed. they were painting at the birthing inn (to be done friday), but if baby came thurday or friday i would likely be in a different room than i had hoped for, not the one where harper and tanner were also born. which i was feeling really sentimental about. that room was like home. where i felt so comfortable. i knew it so well being where we had brought both our other babies into the world. our photographer, kristal had a whole afternoon of mini sessions scheduled for saturday afternoon. and though she said it would all work, i didn't want to put a wrench in her afternoon of shoots. my mom wasn't here yet. and brandon had a big work appointment on saturday. i just wanted to have control over this and wait until sunday!
but truly, who was i even kidding. babies come when babies are ready to come.
looking back, it's so clear God had is hands right on this. HE made the timing of tatum's birth PERFECT. perfect in every way.
thursday night we got a surprise at our front door. mom and flown in early and she WAS HERE! my heart burst and i suddenly had so much relief. she was 100% going to be there for the birth of our baby boy. she brings so much support to me and can recognize my needs even when i'm not able to. knowing both brandon and my mom were going to be with me through all of my labor and delivery gave me so much peace.
FRIDAY (27th)
last minute things.
mom, the kids, and i went to costco for a much needed haul on groceries.
brandon and i snuck in a quick dinner date while mom watched harper and tanner.
things felt like they were falling right into place.
that night contractions had been no different than the days prior. as i was walking up the stairs that night to head to bed, i had one contraction that hit me harder and i had felt it down my inner thighs. got me thinking for a sec as i recognized this feeling from labors prior, but then no others followed. so to bed as usual i went around 10:30 pm. and i hadn't a clue what was about to happen in a short 2.5 hours.
hang tight for part two.
....................
- - - - - - - - -
prior to writing down our birth story, i read back through tanner's birth story just to be brought back to that day. it has me feeling a little lost as i sit to write tatum's. birth with tanner was so sooo similar to birth with harper. (her birth story isn't documented here being that she was born prior to this blog). but after my first two, i figured that's how birth is for me. long and steady.
and that's what my expectations were leading up to the day of tatum's birth.
- - - - - - - - -
but it was everything but that.
- - - - - - - - -
my due date was october 4th. my midwife susan was going to be out of town come the 5th. so we were so praying and hoping that baby would make his way before then. she had been there for both our other babies, and i couldn't imagine if she wasn't there to help me through with this one too.
- - - - - - - - -
i had been having a TON of really uncomfortable braxton hicks contractions for a handful of weeks prior. more uncomfortable than i had experienced with my previous pregnancies. these ones were stronger, where at times i had to stop in my steps until one passed. they were also much lower. i always typically felt them in my lower back, like menstrual cramps. but this time they also had worked their way down low, and in front. about a week prior, the uncomfortableness of contractions had picked up. at times being 15 minutes apart for a couple hours, then eventually letting up.
SATURDAY (22nd)
i lost my mucus plug that evening. and it sent me into nerves of feeling like this could be happening any time (i hadn't experienced this prior to labor with my others). i was nervous to go to bed that night. i always feel that the nights are so telling of where we are headed. but i slept all through the night, not being woken by contractions.
SUNDAY + MONDAY (23rd + 24th)
both evenings i lost a little more of my mucus plug after having lots and lots of contractions throughout the afternoon and evening.
finally decided it was time to have our bags packed!
WEDNESDAY (25th)
i had a chiropractor appointment that morning.
i noticed my contractions really picking up that afternoon to being more frequent, and about every 15 minutes. this went on for a handful of hours, but didn't stick and eventually slowed down come evening. i very much think this could have been due to my appointment that morning.
in pregnancy with tanner i had gone to the chiropractor for an adjustment and then the next day he was born. so here i was a little on my toes this day!
i was also having to make my way to the bathroom more frequently. which was another sign for me that we were getting close to meeting our baby. this was typical for me prior to labor beginning. but whether that meant one day or a handful of days. who knew.
THURSDAY (26th)
i had an appointment with my midwife, susan, that morning and i was so anxious and ready for it! especially after all the increased contractions i had been having the day before. we were planning for her to check me, and i couldn't wait to see what progress (cross my fingers) my body had made during these last weeks of all these contractions!
every one of those contractions had been doing so much work! and i was thankful for it, knowing they were getting us ready and prepping for the day labor really began. in pregnancies prior, my body hadn't made much progress until true labor actually began. making my labors quite long (28 & 22 hours).
i was dilated to a 3-4, my cervix was really thinned and soft, and she could even feel baby's head!
my body had made so much progress. so much so that susan was careful not to disrupt things too much as it was likely if she did, labor could be initiated that very day. which i didn't want to happen. i even asked her if there was anything i could do to stop labor from happening for a few more days. what 39+ week pregnant mama says that?! (we were hoping for my mom to get here first, and i was planning to have her get on a flight and come up the next day).
based on all this progress, susan didn't think i would even make it to my due date of the 4th. which was such a relief! to me it meant that this would happen before susan left town (on the 5th) and she would be here for this baby. we scheduled my next appointment for monday, october 1st. if i was still pregnant then, she would strip my membranes to get things going and help ensure baby would get here before she left.
seems silly now, but that afternoon i was feeling stressed. they were painting at the birthing inn (to be done friday), but if baby came thurday or friday i would likely be in a different room than i had hoped for, not the one where harper and tanner were also born. which i was feeling really sentimental about. that room was like home. where i felt so comfortable. i knew it so well being where we had brought both our other babies into the world. our photographer, kristal had a whole afternoon of mini sessions scheduled for saturday afternoon. and though she said it would all work, i didn't want to put a wrench in her afternoon of shoots. my mom wasn't here yet. and brandon had a big work appointment on saturday. i just wanted to have control over this and wait until sunday!
but truly, who was i even kidding. babies come when babies are ready to come.
looking back, it's so clear God had is hands right on this. HE made the timing of tatum's birth PERFECT. perfect in every way.
thursday night we got a surprise at our front door. mom and flown in early and she WAS HERE! my heart burst and i suddenly had so much relief. she was 100% going to be there for the birth of our baby boy. she brings so much support to me and can recognize my needs even when i'm not able to. knowing both brandon and my mom were going to be with me through all of my labor and delivery gave me so much peace.
FRIDAY (27th)
last minute things.
mom, the kids, and i went to costco for a much needed haul on groceries.
brandon and i snuck in a quick dinner date while mom watched harper and tanner.
things felt like they were falling right into place.
that night contractions had been no different than the days prior. as i was walking up the stairs that night to head to bed, i had one contraction that hit me harder and i had felt it down my inner thighs. got me thinking for a sec as i recognized this feeling from labors prior, but then no others followed. so to bed as usual i went around 10:30 pm. and i hadn't a clue what was about to happen in a short 2.5 hours.
hang tight for part two.
....................
{clickable links here to previous posts}
Xoxo
I love reading about birth stories. They're all different.
ReplyDeleteso do i. a little glimpse into what it was like for that mama. each one so special in their own way.
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